diff --git a/src/util/virfdstream.c b/src/util/virfdstream.c
index 3de0d59a8b..0e39889ac9 100644
--- a/src/util/virfdstream.c
+++ b/src/util/virfdstream.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ virFDStreamMsgQueuePush(virFDStreamData *fdst,
 
     if (safewrite(fd, &c, sizeof(c)) != sizeof(c)) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to write to %s"),
+                             _("Unable to write to %1$s"),
                              fdname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ virFDStreamMsgQueuePop(virFDStreamData *fdst,
 
     if (saferead(fd, &c, sizeof(c)) != sizeof(c)) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to read from %s"),
+                             _("Unable to read from %1$s"),
                              fdname);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ virFDStreamThreadDoRead(virFDStreamData *fdst,
         if (sectionLen &&
             lseek(fdin, sectionLen, SEEK_CUR) == (off_t) -1) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("unable to seek in %s"),
+                                 _("unable to seek in %1$s"),
                                  fdinname);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ virFDStreamThreadDoRead(virFDStreamData *fdst,
 
         if ((got = saferead(fdin, buf, buflen)) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Unable to read %s"),
+                                 _("Unable to read %1$s"),
                                  fdinname);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ virFDStreamThreadDoWrite(virFDStreamData *fdst,
                         msg->stream.data.len - msg->stream.data.offset);
         if (got < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Unable to write %s"),
+                                 _("Unable to write %1$s"),
                                  fdoutname);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ virFDStreamThreadDoWrite(virFDStreamData *fdst,
 
                 if ((r = safewrite(fdout, buf, count)) < 0) {
                     virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                         _("Unable to write %s"),
+                                         _("Unable to write %1$s"),
                                          fdoutname);
                     return -1;
                 }
@@ -573,14 +573,14 @@ virFDStreamThreadDoWrite(virFDStreamData *fdst,
             off = lseek(fdout, got, SEEK_CUR);
             if (off == (off_t) -1) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("unable to seek in %s"),
+                                     _("unable to seek in %1$s"),
                                      fdoutname);
                 return -1;
             }
 
             if (ftruncate(fdout, off) < 0) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("unable to truncate %s"),
+                                     _("unable to truncate %1$s"),
                                      fdoutname);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -1265,7 +1265,7 @@ virFDStreamOpenFileInternal(virStreamPtr st,
         fd = open(path, oflags);
     if (fd < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to open stream for '%s'"),
+                             _("Unable to open stream for '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ virFDStreamOpenFileInternal(virStreamPtr st,
 
     if (fstat(fd, &sb) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to access stream for '%s'"),
+                             _("Unable to access stream for '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         goto error;
     }
@@ -1281,7 +1281,7 @@ virFDStreamOpenFileInternal(virStreamPtr st,
     if (offset &&
         lseek(fd, offset, SEEK_SET) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to seek %s to %llu"),
+                             _("Unable to seek %1$s to %2$llu"),
                              path, offset);
         goto error;
     }
@@ -1297,7 +1297,7 @@ virFDStreamOpenFileInternal(virStreamPtr st,
 
         if ((oflags & O_ACCMODE) == O_RDWR) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("%s: Cannot request read and write flags together"),
+                           _("%1$s: Cannot request read and write flags together"),
                            path);
             goto error;
         }
@@ -1352,7 +1352,7 @@ int virFDStreamOpenFile(virStreamPtr st,
 {
     if (oflags & O_CREAT) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Attempt to create %s without specifying mode"),
+                       _("Attempt to create %1$s without specifying mode"),
                        path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ int virFDStreamOpenPTY(virStreamPtr st,
 
     if (tcgetattr(fdst->fd, &rawattr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("unable to get tty attributes: %s"),
+                             _("unable to get tty attributes: %1$s"),
                              path);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -1402,7 +1402,7 @@ int virFDStreamOpenPTY(virStreamPtr st,
 
     if (tcsetattr(fdst->fd, TCSANOW, &rawattr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("unable to set tty attributes: %s"),
+                             _("unable to set tty attributes: %1$s"),
                              path);
         goto cleanup;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virfile.c b/src/util/virfile.c
index feb0d7f8ba..657e74e026 100644
--- a/src/util/virfile.c
+++ b/src/util/virfile.c
@@ -312,13 +312,13 @@ virFileWrapperFdNew(int *fd, const char *name, unsigned int flags)
     mode = fcntl(*fd, F_GETFL);
 
     if (mode < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("invalid fd %d for %s"),
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("invalid fd %1$d for %2$s"),
                        *fd, name);
         goto error;
     } else if ((mode & O_ACCMODE) == O_WRONLY) {
         output = true;
     } else if ((mode & O_ACCMODE) != O_RDONLY) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("unexpected mode 0x%x for %s"),
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("unexpected mode 0x%1$x for %2$s"),
                        mode & O_ACCMODE, name);
         goto error;
     }
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ virFileRewrite(const char *path,
                             uid, gid,
                             VIR_FILE_OPEN_FORCE_OWNER | VIR_FILE_OPEN_FORCE_MODE)) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(-fd,
-                             _("Failed to create file '%s'"),
+                             _("Failed to create file '%1$s'"),
                              newfile);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -585,19 +585,19 @@ virFileRewrite(const char *path,
     }
 
     if (g_fsync(fd) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot sync file '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot sync file '%1$s'"),
                              newfile);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if (VIR_CLOSE(fd) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot save file '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot save file '%1$s'"),
                              newfile);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if (rename(newfile, path) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot rename file '%s' as '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot rename file '%1$s' as '%2$s'"),
                              newfile, path);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ virFileRewriteStrHelper(int fd,
 
     if (safewrite(fd, data, strlen(data)) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot write data to file '%s'"),
+                             _("cannot write data to file '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ virFileResize(const char *path,
     VIR_AUTOCLOSE fd = -1;
 
     if ((fd = open(path, O_RDWR)) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open '%s'"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open '%1$s'"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -664,8 +664,8 @@ virFileResize(const char *path,
                                _("preallocate is not supported on this platform"));
             } else {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Failed to pre-allocate space for "
-                                       "file '%s'"), path);
+                                     _("Failed to pre-allocate space for file '%1$s'"),
+                                     path);
             }
             return -1;
         }
@@ -673,12 +673,12 @@ virFileResize(const char *path,
 
     if (ftruncate(fd, capacity) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to truncate file '%s'"), path);
+                             _("Failed to truncate file '%1$s'"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (VIR_CLOSE(fd) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to save '%s'"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to save '%1$s'"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -691,13 +691,13 @@ int virFileTouch(const char *path, mode_t mode)
     int fd = -1;
 
     if ((fd = open(path, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT, mode)) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot create file '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot create file '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (VIR_CLOSE(fd) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot save file '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot save file '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
         return -1;
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ int virFileUpdatePerm(const char *path,
     }
 
     if (stat(path, &sb) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot stat '%s'"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot stat '%1$s'"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ int virFileUpdatePerm(const char *path,
     mode |= mode_add;
 
     if (chmod(path, mode) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot change permission of '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot change permission of '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ static int virFileLoopDeviceOpenLoopCtl(char **dev_name, int *fd)
 
     if ((*fd = open(looppath, O_RDWR)) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to open %s"), looppath);
+                             _("Unable to open %1$s"), looppath);
         VIR_FREE(looppath);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ static int virFileLoopDeviceOpenSearch(char **dev_name)
         VIR_DEBUG("Checking up on device %s", looppath);
         if ((fd = open(looppath, O_RDWR)) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Unable to open %s"), looppath);
+                                 _("Unable to open %1$s"), looppath);
             goto cleanup;
         }
 
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ static int virFileLoopDeviceOpenSearch(char **dev_name)
 
             VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Unable to get loop status on %s"),
+                                 _("Unable to get loop status on %1$s"),
                                  looppath);
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -889,19 +889,19 @@ int virFileLoopDeviceAssociate(const char *file,
     /* Set backing file name for LOOP_GET_STATUS64 queries */
     if (virStrcpy((char *) lo.lo_file_name, file, LO_NAME_SIZE) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to set backing file %s"), file);
+                             _("Unable to set backing file %1$s"), file);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if ((fsfd = open(file, O_RDWR)) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to open %s"), file);
+                             _("Unable to open %1$s"), file);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if (ioctl(lofd, LOOP_SET_FD, fsfd) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to attach %s to loop device"),
+                             _("Unable to attach %1$s to loop device"),
                              file);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -944,7 +944,7 @@ virFileNBDDeviceIsBusy(const char *dev_name)
             return 0;
         else
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Cannot check NBD device %s pid"),
+                                 _("Cannot check NBD device %1$s pid"),
                                  dev_name);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ int virFileLoopDeviceAssociate(const char *file,
                                char **dev G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Unable to associate file %s with loop device"),
+                         _("Unable to associate file %1$s with loop device"),
                          file);
     *dev = NULL;
     return -1;
@@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@ int virFileNBDDeviceAssociate(const char *file,
                               char **dev G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Unable to associate file %s with NBD device"),
+                         _("Unable to associate file %1$s with NBD device"),
                          file);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -1107,7 +1107,7 @@ int virFileDeleteTree(const char *dir)
         filepath = g_build_filename(dir, de->d_name, NULL);
 
         if (g_lstat(filepath, &sb) < 0) {
-            virReportSystemError(errno, _("Cannot access '%s'"),
+            virReportSystemError(errno, _("Cannot access '%1$s'"),
                                  filepath);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ int virFileDeleteTree(const char *dir)
         } else {
             if (unlink(filepath) < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Cannot delete file '%s'"),
+                                     _("Cannot delete file '%1$s'"),
                                      filepath);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ int virFileDeleteTree(const char *dir)
 
     if (rmdir(dir) < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot delete directory '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot delete directory '%1$s'"),
                              dir);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -1520,14 +1520,14 @@ virFileReadAll(const char *path, int maxlen, char **buf)
 
     fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
     if (fd < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to open file '%s'"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to open file '%1$s'"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     len = virFileReadLimFD(fd, maxlen, buf);
     VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
     if (len < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to read file '%s'"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to read file '%1$s'"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -1640,7 +1640,7 @@ virFileRelLinkPointsTo(const char *directory,
         return virFileLinkPointsTo(checkLink, checkDest);
     if (!directory) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("cannot resolve '%s' without starting directory"),
+                       _("cannot resolve '%1$s' without starting directory"),
                        checkLink);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -1970,14 +1970,14 @@ int virFileIsMountPoint(const char *file)
             return 0;
         else
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Cannot stat '%s'"),
+                                 _("Cannot stat '%1$s'"),
                                  file);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (stat(parent, &sb2) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot stat '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot stat '%1$s'"),
                              parent);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2059,7 +2059,7 @@ virFileGetMountSubtreeImpl(const char *mtabpath,
 
     if (!(procmnt = setmntent(mtabpath, "r"))) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to read %s"), mtabpath);
+                             _("Failed to read %1$s"), mtabpath);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -2219,7 +2219,7 @@ virFileOpenForceOwnerMode(const char *path, int fd, mode_t mode,
 
     if (fstat(fd, &st) == -1) {
         ret = -errno;
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("stat of '%s' failed"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("stat of '%1$s' failed"), path);
         return ret;
     }
     /* NB: uid:gid are never "-1" (default) at this point - the caller
@@ -2230,7 +2230,7 @@ virFileOpenForceOwnerMode(const char *path, int fd, mode_t mode,
         (fchown(fd, uid, gid) < 0)) {
         ret = -errno;
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot chown '%s' to (%u, %u)"),
+                             _("cannot chown '%1$s' to (%2$u, %3$u)"),
                              path, (unsigned int) uid,
                              (unsigned int) gid);
         return ret;
@@ -2241,7 +2241,7 @@ virFileOpenForceOwnerMode(const char *path, int fd, mode_t mode,
         (fchmod(fd, mode) < 0)) {
         ret = -errno;
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot set mode of '%s' to %04o"),
+                             _("cannot set mode of '%1$s' to %2$04o"),
                              path, mode);
         return ret;
     }
@@ -2283,7 +2283,7 @@ virFileOpenForked(const char *path, int openflags, mode_t mode,
     if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0, pair) < 0) {
         ret = -errno;
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("failed to create socket needed for '%s'"),
+                             _("failed to create socket needed for '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return ret;
     }
@@ -2306,7 +2306,7 @@ virFileOpenForked(const char *path, int openflags, mode_t mode,
         if ((fd = open(path, openflags, mode)) < 0) {
             ret = -errno;
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("child process failed to create file '%s'"),
+                                 _("child process failed to create file '%1$s'"),
                                  path);
             goto childerror;
         }
@@ -2318,7 +2318,7 @@ virFileOpenForked(const char *path, int openflags, mode_t mode,
         if (ret < 0) {
             ret = -errno;
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("child process failed to force owner mode file '%s'"),
+                                 _("child process failed to force owner mode file '%1$s'"),
                                  path);
             goto childerror;
         }
@@ -2384,7 +2384,7 @@ virFileOpenForked(const char *path, int openflags, mode_t mode,
     /* if waitpid succeeded, but recvfd failed, report recvfd_errno */
     if (recvfd_errno != 0) {
         virReportSystemError(recvfd_errno,
-                             _("failed recvfd for child creating '%s'"),
+                             _("failed recvfd for child creating '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -recvfd_errno;
     }
@@ -2656,7 +2656,7 @@ virDirCreateNoFork(const char *path,
     if (!((flags & VIR_DIR_CREATE_ALLOW_EXIST) && virFileExists(path))) {
         if (mkdir(path, mode) < 0) {
             ret = -errno;
-            virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to create directory '%s'"),
+            virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to create directory '%1$s'"),
                                  path);
             goto error;
         }
@@ -2665,7 +2665,7 @@ virDirCreateNoFork(const char *path,
 
     if (stat(path, &st) == -1) {
         ret = -errno;
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("stat of '%s' failed"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("stat of '%1$s' failed"), path);
         goto error;
     }
 
@@ -2673,7 +2673,7 @@ virDirCreateNoFork(const char *path,
          (gid != (gid_t) -1 && st.st_gid != gid))
         && (chown(path, uid, gid) < 0)) {
         ret = -errno;
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot chown '%s' to (%u, %u)"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot chown '%1$s' to (%2$u, %3$u)"),
                              path, (unsigned int) uid, (unsigned int) gid);
         goto error;
     }
@@ -2681,7 +2681,7 @@ virDirCreateNoFork(const char *path,
     if (mode != (mode_t) -1 && chmod(path, mode) < 0) {
         ret = -errno;
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot set mode of '%s' to %04o"),
+                             _("cannot set mode of '%1$s' to %2$04o"),
                              path, mode);
         goto error;
     }
@@ -2799,7 +2799,7 @@ virDirCreate(const char *path,
         ret = errno;
         if (ret != EACCES) {
             /* in case of EACCES, the parent will retry */
-            virReportSystemError(errno, _("child failed to create directory '%s'"),
+            virReportSystemError(errno, _("child failed to create directory '%1$s'"),
                                  path);
         }
         goto childerror;
@@ -2811,21 +2811,21 @@ virDirCreate(const char *path,
     if (stat(path, &st) == -1) {
         ret = errno;
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("stat of '%s' failed"), path);
+                             _("stat of '%1$s' failed"), path);
         goto childerror;
     }
 
     if ((st.st_gid != gid) && (chown(path, (uid_t) -1, gid) < 0)) {
         ret = errno;
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot chown '%s' to group %u"),
+                             _("cannot chown '%1$s' to group %2$u"),
                              path, (unsigned int) gid);
         goto childerror;
     }
 
     if (mode != (mode_t) -1 && chmod(path, mode) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot set mode of '%s' to %04o"),
+                             _("cannot set mode of '%1$s' to %2$04o"),
                              path, mode);
         goto childerror;
     }
@@ -2888,7 +2888,7 @@ virFileRemove(const char *path,
               gid_t gid G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     if (unlink(path) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to unlink path '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to unlink path '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2907,7 +2907,7 @@ virDirOpenInternal(DIR **dirp, const char *name, bool ignoreENOENT, bool quiet)
 
         if (ignoreENOENT && errno == ENOENT)
             return 0;
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot open directory '%s'"), name);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("cannot open directory '%1$s'"), name);
         return -1;
     }
     return 1;
@@ -2985,7 +2985,7 @@ int virDirRead(DIR *dirp, struct dirent **ent, const char *name)
         *ent = readdir(dirp); /* exempt from syntax-check */
         if (!*ent && errno) {
             if (name)
-                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to read directory '%s'"),
+                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to read directory '%1$s'"),
                                      name);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -3035,7 +3035,7 @@ int virFileChownFiles(const char *name,
 
         if (chown(path, uid, gid) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("cannot chown '%s' to (%u, %u)"),
+                                 _("cannot chown '%1$s' to (%2$u, %3$u)"),
                                  ent->d_name, (unsigned int) uid,
                                  (unsigned int) gid);
             return -1;
@@ -3055,7 +3055,7 @@ int virFileChownFiles(const char *name,
                       gid_t gid)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("cannot chown '%s' to (%u, %u)"),
+                         _("cannot chown '%1$s' to (%2$u, %3$u)"),
                          name, (unsigned int) uid,
                          (unsigned int) gid);
     return -1;
@@ -3336,14 +3336,14 @@ virFileIsSharedFsFUSE(const char *path,
     bool isShared = false;
 
     if (!(canonPath = virFileCanonicalizePath(path))) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable to canonicalize %s"), path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable to canonicalize %1$s"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Path canonicalization: %s->%s", path, canonPath);
 
     if (!(f = setmntent(PROC_MOUNTS, "r"))) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %s"), PROC_MOUNTS);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %1$s"), PROC_MOUNTS);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -3425,7 +3425,7 @@ virFileIsSharedFSType(const char *path,
 
         if ((p = strrchr(dirpath, '/')) == NULL) {
             virReportSystemError(EINVAL,
-                                 _("Invalid relative path '%s'"), path);
+                                 _("Invalid relative path '%1$s'"), path);
             return -1;
         }
 
@@ -3439,7 +3439,7 @@ virFileIsSharedFSType(const char *path,
 
     if (statfs_ret < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot determine filesystem for '%s'"),
+                             _("cannot determine filesystem for '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -3471,14 +3471,14 @@ virFileGetHugepageSize(const char *path,
 
     if (statfs(path, &fs) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot determine filesystem for '%s'"),
+                             _("cannot determine filesystem for '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (fs.f_type != HUGETLBFS_MAGIC) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("not a hugetlbfs mount: '%s'"),
+                       _("not a hugetlbfs mount: '%1$s'"),
                        path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -3504,7 +3504,7 @@ virFileGetDefaultHugepageSize(unsigned long long *size)
 
     if (!(c = strstr(meminfo, HUGEPAGESIZE_STR))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SUPPORT,
-                       _("%s not found in %s"),
+                       _("%1$s not found in %2$s"),
                        HUGEPAGESIZE_STR,
                        PROC_MEMINFO);
         return -1;
@@ -3518,7 +3518,7 @@ virFileGetDefaultHugepageSize(unsigned long long *size)
 
     if (virStrToLong_ull(c, &unit, 10, size) < 0 || STRNEQ(unit, " kB")) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to parse %s %s"),
+                       _("Unable to parse %1$s %2$s"),
                        HUGEPAGESIZE_STR, c);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -3540,7 +3540,7 @@ virFileFindHugeTLBFS(virHugeTLBFS **ret_fs,
 
     if (!(f = setmntent(PROC_MOUNTS, "r"))) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to open %s"),
+                             _("Unable to open %1$s"),
                              PROC_MOUNTS);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -3674,7 +3674,7 @@ virFileSetupDev(const char *path,
 
     if (g_mkdir_with_parents(path, 0777) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to make path %s"), path);
+                             _("Failed to make path %1$s"), path);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -3682,7 +3682,7 @@ virFileSetupDev(const char *path,
               path, mount_flags, mount_options);
     if (mount("devfs", path, mount_fs, mount_flags, mount_options) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to mount devfs on %s type %s (%s)"),
+                             _("Failed to mount devfs on %1$s type %2$s (%3$s)"),
                              path, mount_fs, mount_options);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -3698,7 +3698,7 @@ virFileBindMountDevice(const char *src,
     if (!virFileExists(dst)) {
         if (virFileIsDir(src)) {
             if (g_mkdir_with_parents(dst, 0777) < 0) {
-                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to make dir %s"), dst);
+                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to make dir %1$s"), dst);
                 return -1;
             }
         } else {
@@ -3708,7 +3708,7 @@ virFileBindMountDevice(const char *src,
     }
 
     if (mount(src, dst, "none", MS_BIND, NULL) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to bind %s on to %s"), src,
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to bind %1$s on to %2$s"), src,
                              dst);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -3725,7 +3725,7 @@ virFileMoveMount(const char *src,
 
     if (mount(src, dst, "none", mount_flags, NULL) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to move %s mount to %s"),
+                             _("Unable to move %1$s mount to %2$s"),
                              src, dst);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4045,7 +4045,7 @@ virFileReadValueInt(int *value, const char *format, ...)
 
     if (virStrToLong_i(str, NULL, 10, value) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Invalid integer value '%s' in file '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid integer value '%1$s' in file '%2$s'"),
                        str, path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4085,7 +4085,7 @@ virFileReadValueUint(unsigned int *value, const char *format, ...)
 
     if (virStrToLong_uip(str, NULL, 10, value) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Invalid unsigned integer value '%s' in file '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid unsigned integer value '%1$s' in file '%2$s'"),
                        str, path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4125,7 +4125,7 @@ virFileReadValueUllong(unsigned long long *value, const char *format, ...)
 
     if (virStrToLong_ullp(str, NULL, 10, value) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Invalid unsigned long long value '%s' in file '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid unsigned long long value '%1$s' in file '%2$s'"),
                        str, path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4190,7 +4190,7 @@ virFileReadValueScaledInt(unsigned long long *value, const char *format, ...)
 
     if (virStrToLong_ullp(str, &endp, 10, value) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Invalid unsigned scaled integer value '%s' in file '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid unsigned scaled integer value '%1$s' in file '%2$s'"),
                        str, path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4367,7 +4367,7 @@ virFileSetXAttr(const char *path,
 {
     if (setxattr(path, name, value, strlen(value), 0) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to set XATTR %s on %s"),
+                             _("Unable to set XATTR %1$s on %2$s"),
                              name, path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4391,7 +4391,7 @@ virFileRemoveXAttr(const char *path,
 {
     if (removexattr(path, name) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to remove XATTR %s on %s"),
+                             _("Unable to remove XATTR %1$s on %2$s"),
                              name, path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4417,7 +4417,7 @@ virFileSetXAttr(const char *path,
 {
     errno = ENOSYS;
     virReportSystemError(errno,
-                         _("Unable to set XATTR %s on %s"),
+                         _("Unable to set XATTR %1$s on %2$s"),
                          name, path);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -4428,7 +4428,7 @@ virFileRemoveXAttr(const char *path,
 {
     errno = ENOSYS;
     virReportSystemError(errno,
-                         _("Unable to remove XATTR %s on %s"),
+                         _("Unable to remove XATTR %1$s on %2$s"),
                          name, path);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -4456,7 +4456,7 @@ virFileGetXAttr(const char *path,
 
     if ((ret = virFileGetXAttrQuiet(path, name, value)) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to get XATTR %s on %s"),
+                             _("Unable to get XATTR %1$s on %2$s"),
                              name, path);
     }
 
@@ -4506,13 +4506,13 @@ virFileSetCOW(const char *path,
 
     fd = open(path, O_RDONLY|O_NONBLOCK|O_LARGEFILE);
     if (fd < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable to open '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable to open '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (fstatfs(fd, &buf) < 0)  {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable query filesystem type on '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable query filesystem type on '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4520,7 +4520,7 @@ virFileSetCOW(const char *path,
     if (buf.f_type != BTRFS_SUPER_MAGIC) {
         if (state != VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_ABSENT) {
             virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                                 _("unable to control COW flag on '%s', not btrfs"),
+                                 _("unable to control COW flag on '%1$s', not btrfs"),
                                  path);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -4528,7 +4528,7 @@ virFileSetCOW(const char *path,
     }
 
     if (ioctl(fd, FS_IOC_GETFLAGS, &val) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable get directory flags on '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable get directory flags on '%1$s'"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4546,7 +4546,7 @@ virFileSetCOW(const char *path,
         VIR_DEBUG("Failed to set flags on '%s': %s", path, g_strerror(saved_err));
         if (state != VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_ABSENT) {
             virReportSystemError(saved_err,
-                                 _("unable control COW flag on '%s'"),
+                                 _("unable control COW flag on '%1$s'"),
                                  path);
             return -1;
         } else {
@@ -4558,7 +4558,7 @@ virFileSetCOW(const char *path,
 #else /* ! __linux__ */
     if (state != VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_ABSENT) {
         virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                             _("Unable to set copy-on-write state on '%s' to '%s'"),
+                             _("Unable to set copy-on-write state on '%1$s' to '%2$s'"),
                              path, virTristateBoolTypeToString(state));
         return -1;
     }
@@ -4623,7 +4623,7 @@ runIOCopy(const struct runIOParams p)
         }
 
         if (got < 0) {
-            virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to read %s"), p.fdinname);
+            virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to read %1$s"), p.fdinname);
             return -2;
         }
         if (got == 0)
@@ -4638,12 +4638,12 @@ runIOCopy(const struct runIOParams p)
             memset(buf + got, 0, aligned_got - got);
 
             if (safewrite(p.fdout, buf, aligned_got) < 0) {
-                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to write %s"), p.fdoutname);
+                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to write %1$s"), p.fdoutname);
                 return -3;
             }
 
             if (!p.isBlockDev && ftruncate(p.fdout, total) < 0) {
-                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to truncate %s"), p.fdoutname);
+                virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to truncate %1$s"), p.fdoutname);
                 return -4;
             }
 
@@ -4651,7 +4651,7 @@ runIOCopy(const struct runIOParams p)
         }
 
         if (safewrite(p.fdout, buf, got) < 0) {
-            virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to write %s"), p.fdoutname);
+            virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to write %1$s"), p.fdoutname);
             return -3;
         }
     }
@@ -4690,13 +4690,13 @@ virFileDiskCopy(int disk_fd, const char *disk_path, int remote_fd, const char *r
 
     if (oflags < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("unable to determine access mode of %s"),
+                             _("unable to determine access mode of %1$s"),
                              disk_path);
         goto cleanup;
     }
     if (fstat(disk_fd, &sb) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("unable to stat file descriptor %d path %s"),
+                             _("unable to stat file descriptor %1$d path %2$s"),
                              disk_fd, disk_path);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -4720,7 +4720,7 @@ virFileDiskCopy(int disk_fd, const char *disk_path, int remote_fd, const char *r
         break;
     case O_RDWR:
     default:
-        virReportSystemError(EINVAL, _("Unable to process file with flags %d"),
+        virReportSystemError(EINVAL, _("Unable to process file with flags %1$d"),
                              (oflags & O_ACCMODE));
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -4752,7 +4752,7 @@ virFileDiskCopy(int disk_fd, const char *disk_path, int remote_fd, const char *r
     if (virFileDataSync(p.fdout) < 0) {
         if (errno != EINVAL && errno != EROFS) {
             /* fdatasync() may fail on some special FDs, e.g. pipes */
-            virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable to fsync %s"), p.fdoutname);
+            virReportSystemError(errno, _("unable to fsync %1$s"), p.fdoutname);
             goto cleanup;
         }
     }
@@ -4761,7 +4761,7 @@ virFileDiskCopy(int disk_fd, const char *disk_path, int remote_fd, const char *r
 
  cleanup:
     if (VIR_CLOSE(disk_fd) < 0 && ret == 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to close %s"), disk_path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to close %1$s"), disk_path);
         ret = -1;
     }
     return ret;
diff --git a/src/util/virfilecache.c b/src/util/virfilecache.c
index b9e06545c0..c730de066e 100644
--- a/src/util/virfilecache.c
+++ b/src/util/virfilecache.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ virFileCacheGetFileName(virFileCache *cache,
 
     if (g_mkdir_with_parents(cache->dir, 0777) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to create directory '%s'"),
+                             _("Unable to create directory '%1$s'"),
                              cache->dir);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ virFileCacheLoad(virFileCache *cache,
             goto cleanup;
         }
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to access cache '%s' for '%s'"),
+                             _("Unable to access cache '%1$s' for '%2$s'"),
                              file, name);
         goto cleanup;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virfirewall.c b/src/util/virfirewall.c
index fbb0e438b3..30e73f603e 100644
--- a/src/util/virfirewall.c
+++ b/src/util/virfirewall.c
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ virFirewallApplyRuleDirect(virFirewallRule *rule,
 
     if (!bin) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unknown firewall layer %d"),
+                       _("Unknown firewall layer %1$d"),
                        rule->layer);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ virFirewallApplyRuleDirect(virFirewallRule *rule,
             VIR_DEBUG("Ignoring error running command");
         } else {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Failed to apply firewall rules %s: %s"),
+                           _("Failed to apply firewall rules %1$s: %2$s"),
                            NULLSTR(cmdStr), NULLSTR(error));
             VIR_FREE(*output);
             return -1;
diff --git a/src/util/virfirewalld.c b/src/util/virfirewalld.c
index d11e974cc2..7733ef2410 100644
--- a/src/util/virfirewalld.c
+++ b/src/util/virfirewalld.c
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ virFirewallDGetVersion(unsigned long *version)
 
     if (virStringParseVersion(version, versionStr, false) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Failed to parse firewalld version '%s'"),
+                       _("Failed to parse firewalld version '%1$s'"),
                        versionStr);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ virFirewallDGetBackend(void)
 
     if ((backend = virFirewallDBackendTypeFromString(backendStr)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unrecognized firewalld backend type: %s"),
+                       _("Unrecognized firewalld backend type: %1$s"),
                        backendStr);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ virFirewallDApplyRule(virFirewallLayer layer,
 
     if (!ipv) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unknown firewall layer %d"),
+                       _("Unknown firewall layer %1$d"),
                        layer);
         return -1;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virfirmware.c b/src/util/virfirmware.c
index 9b333cf04b..33d2789ca7 100644
--- a/src/util/virfirmware.c
+++ b/src/util/virfirmware.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ virFirmwareParse(const char *str, virFirmware *firmware)
     if (!token[0] || !token[1] || token[2] ||
         STREQ(token[0], "") || STREQ(token[1], "")) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONF_SYNTAX,
-                       _("Invalid nvram format: '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid nvram format: '%1$s'"),
                        str);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ virFirmwareParseList(const char *list,
         if (!token[i] || !token[i + 1] ||
             STREQ(token[i], "") || STREQ(token[i + 1], "")) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Invalid --with-loader-nvram list: %s"),
+                           _("Invalid --with-loader-nvram list: %1$s"),
                            list);
             return -1;
         }
diff --git a/src/util/virgdbus.c b/src/util/virgdbus.c
index 87b48256af..71ca3cd43b 100644
--- a/src/util/virgdbus.c
+++ b/src/util/virgdbus.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ virGDBusGetSystemBus(void)
 
     if (!bus) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to get system bus connection: %s"),
+                       _("Unable to get system bus connection: %1$s"),
                        systemError->message);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ virGDBusGetSessionBus(void)
 
     if (!sessionBus) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to get session bus connection: %s"),
+                       _("Unable to get session bus connection: %1$s"),
                        sessionError->message);
         return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virhash.c b/src/util/virhash.c
index c72c248186..8365f51eb3 100644
--- a/src/util/virhash.c
+++ b/src/util/virhash.c
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ virHashAddEntry(GHashTable *table, const char *name, void *userdata)
 
     if (g_hash_table_contains(table, name)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Duplicate hash table key '%s'"), name);
+                       _("Duplicate hash table key '%1$s'"), name);
         return -1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/util/virhook.c b/src/util/virhook.c
index 871bfcc670..50e178723f 100644
--- a/src/util/virhook.c
+++ b/src/util/virhook.c
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ virHookCheck(int no, const char *driver)
 
     if (driver == NULL) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Invalid hook name for #%d"), no);
+                       _("Invalid hook name for #%1$d"), no);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ virHookCall(int driver,
     }
     if (opstr == NULL) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Hook for %s, failed to find operation #%d"),
+                       _("Hook for %1$s, failed to find operation #%2$d"),
                        drvstr, op);
         return 1;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virhostcpu.c b/src/util/virhostcpu.c
index c1e8dc8078..19195a1470 100644
--- a/src/util/virhostcpu.c
+++ b/src/util/virhostcpu.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStatsFreeBSD(int cpuNum,
 
     if ((*nparams) != BSD_CPU_STATS_ALL) {
         virReportInvalidArg(*nparams,
-                            _("nparams in %s must be equal to %d"),
+                            _("nparams in %1$s must be equal to %2$d"),
                             __FUNCTION__, BSD_CPU_STATS_ALL);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStatsFreeBSD(int cpuNum,
     clkinfo_size = sizeof(clkinfo);
     if (sysctlbyname("kern.clockrate", &clkinfo, &clkinfo_size, NULL, 0) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("sysctl failed for '%s'"),
+                             _("sysctl failed for '%1$s'"),
                              "kern.clockrate");
         return -1;
     }
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStatsFreeBSD(int cpuNum,
 
         if (cpuNum >= cpu_times_num) {
             virReportInvalidArg(cpuNum,
-                                _("Invalid cpuNum in %s"),
+                                _("Invalid cpuNum in %1$s"),
                                 __FUNCTION__);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStatsFreeBSD(int cpuNum,
 
     if (sysctlbyname(sysctl_name, cpu_times, &cpu_times_size, NULL, 0) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("sysctl failed for '%s'"),
+                             _("sysctl failed for '%1$s'"),
                              sysctl_name);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStatsFreeBSD(int cpuNum,
 
         if (virStrcpyStatic(param->field, cpu_map[i].field) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Field '%s' too long for destination"),
+                           _("Field '%1$s' too long for destination"),
                            cpu_map[i].field);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ virHostCPUParseFrequencyString(const char *str,
 
  error:
     virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                   _("Missing or invalid CPU frequency in %s"),
+                   _("Missing or invalid CPU frequency in %1$s"),
                    CPUINFO_PATH);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ virHostCPUParsePhysAddrSize(FILE *cpuinfo, unsigned int *addrsz)
 
  error:
     virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                   _("Missing or invalid CPU address size in %s"),
+                   _("Missing or invalid CPU address size in %1$s"),
                    CPUINFO_PATH);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStatsLinux(FILE *procstat,
 
     if ((*nparams) != LINUX_NB_CPU_STATS) {
         virReportInvalidArg(*nparams,
-                            _("nparams in %s must be equal to %d"),
+                            _("nparams in %1$s must be equal to %2$d"),
                             __FUNCTION__, LINUX_NB_CPU_STATS);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStatsLinux(FILE *procstat,
     }
 
     virReportInvalidArg(cpuNum,
-                        _("Invalid cpuNum in %s"),
+                        _("Invalid cpuNum in %1$s"),
                         __FUNCTION__);
 
     return -1;
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ virHostCPUGetInfo(virArch hostarch G_GNUC_UNUSED,
 
     if (!cpuinfo) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("cannot open %s"), CPUINFO_PATH);
+                             _("cannot open %1$s"), CPUINFO_PATH);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ virHostCPUGetStats(int cpuNum G_GNUC_UNUSED,
         FILE *procstat = fopen(PROCSTAT_PATH, "r");
         if (!procstat) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("cannot open %s"), PROCSTAT_PATH);
+                                 _("cannot open %1$s"), PROCSTAT_PATH);
             return -1;
         }
         ret = virHostCPUGetStatsLinux(procstat, cpuNum, params, nparams);
@@ -1160,7 +1160,7 @@ virHostCPUGetThreadsPerSubcore(virArch arch)
              * is better than silently falling back and reporting
              * different nodeinfo depending on the user */
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Failed to open '%s'"),
+                                 _("Failed to open '%1$s'"),
                                  KVM_DEVICE);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@ virHostCPUGetKVMMaxVCPUs(void)
     int ret;
 
     if ((fd = open(KVM_DEVICE, O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %s"), KVM_DEVICE);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %1$s"), KVM_DEVICE);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -1293,7 +1293,7 @@ virHostCPUGetMSRFromKVM(unsigned long index,
     msr->entries[0].index = index;
 
     if ((fd = open(KVM_DEVICE, O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %s"), KVM_DEVICE);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %1$s"), KVM_DEVICE);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -1419,7 +1419,7 @@ virHostCPUGetCPUID(void)
     VIR_AUTOCLOSE fd = open(KVM_DEVICE, O_RDONLY);
 
     if (fd < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %s"), KVM_DEVICE);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %1$s"), KVM_DEVICE);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -1473,7 +1473,7 @@ virHostCPUGetTscInfo(void)
     int rc;
 
     if ((kvmFd = open(KVM_DEVICE, O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %s"), KVM_DEVICE);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to open %1$s"), KVM_DEVICE);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -1637,7 +1637,7 @@ virHostCPUGetSignature(char **signature)
     *signature = NULL;
 
     if (!(cpuinfo = fopen(CPUINFO_PATH, "r"))) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to open cpuinfo file '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to open cpuinfo file '%1$s'"),
                              CPUINFO_PATH);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -1651,7 +1651,7 @@ virHostCPUGetPhysAddrSize(unsigned int *size)
     g_autoptr(FILE) cpuinfo = NULL;
 
     if (!(cpuinfo = fopen(CPUINFO_PATH, "r"))) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to open cpuinfo file '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to open cpuinfo file '%1$s'"),
                              CPUINFO_PATH);
         return -1;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virhostmem.c b/src/util/virhostmem.c
index 052f7cd935..83c10206cd 100644
--- a/src/util/virhostmem.c
+++ b/src/util/virhostmem.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ virHostMemGetStatsFreeBSD(virNodeMemoryStatsPtr params,
 
     if ((*nparams) != BSD_MEMORY_STATS_ALL) {
         virReportInvalidArg(nparams,
-                            _("nparams in %s must be %d"),
+                            _("nparams in %1$s must be %2$d"),
                             __FUNCTION__, BSD_MEMORY_STATS_ALL);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ virHostMemGetStatsFreeBSD(virNodeMemoryStatsPtr params,
         if (sysctlbyname(sysctl_map[i].sysctl_name, &value,
                          &value_size, NULL, 0) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("sysctl failed for '%s'"),
+                                 _("sysctl failed for '%1$s'"),
                                  sysctl_map[i].sysctl_name);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ virHostMemGetStatsFreeBSD(virNodeMemoryStatsPtr params,
         param = &params[j++];
         if (virStrcpyStatic(param->field, sysctl_map[i].field) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Field '%s' too long for destination"),
+                           _("Field '%1$s' too long for destination"),
                            sysctl_map[i].field);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@ virHostMemGetStatsFreeBSD(virNodeMemoryStatsPtr params,
 
         if (sysctlbyname("vfs.bufspace", &bufpages, &bufpages_size, NULL, 0) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("sysctl failed for '%s'"),
+                                 _("sysctl failed for '%1$s'"),
                                  "vfs.bufspace");
             return -1;
         }
         if (virStrcpyStatic(param->field, VIR_NODE_MEMORY_STATS_BUFFERS) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Field '%s' too long for destination"),
+                           _("Field '%1$s' too long for destination"),
                            VIR_NODE_MEMORY_STATS_BUFFERS);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ virHostMemGetStatsLinux(FILE *meminfo,
 
     if ((*nparams) != nr_param) {
         virReportInvalidArg(nparams,
-                            _("nparams in %s must be %d"),
+                            _("nparams in %1$s must be %2$d"),
                             __FUNCTION__, nr_param);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ virHostMemGetStats(int cellNum G_GNUC_UNUSED,
 
             if (cellNum > max_node) {
                 virReportInvalidArg(cellNum,
-                                    _("cellNum in %s must be less than or equal to %d"),
+                                    _("cellNum in %1$s must be less than or equal to %2$d"),
                                     __FUNCTION__, max_node);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ virHostMemGetStats(int cellNum G_GNUC_UNUSED,
 
         if (!meminfo) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("cannot open %s"), meminfo_path);
+                                 _("cannot open %1$s"), meminfo_path);
             return -1;
         }
         ret = virHostMemGetStatsLinux(meminfo, cellNum, params, nparams);
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ virHostMemSetParameterValue(virTypedParameterPtr param)
     strval = g_strdup_printf("%u", param->value.ui);
 
     if ((rc = virFileWriteStr(path, strval, 0)) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(-rc, _("failed to set %s"), param->field);
+        virReportSystemError(-rc, _("failed to set %1$s"), param->field);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -343,8 +343,8 @@ virHostMemParametersAreAllSupported(virTypedParameterPtr params,
 
         if (!virFileExists(path)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
-                           _("Parameter '%s' is not supported by "
-                             "this kernel"), param->field);
+                           _("Parameter '%1$s' is not supported by this kernel"),
+                           param->field);
             return false;
         }
     }
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ virHostMemGetParameterValue(const char *field,
 
     if (rc < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("failed to parse %s"), field);
+                       _("failed to parse %1$s"), field);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ virHostMemGetCellsFreeFake(unsigned long long *freeMems,
 {
     if (startCell != 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("start cell %d out of range (0-%d)"),
+                       _("start cell %1$d out of range (0-%2$d)"),
                        startCell, 0);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ virHostMemGetCellsFree(unsigned long long *freeMems,
 
     if (startCell > maxCell) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("start cell %d out of range (0-%d)"),
+                       _("start cell %1$d out of range (0-%2$d)"),
                        startCell, maxCell);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ virHostMemGetFreePages(unsigned int npages,
 
     if (startCell > lastCell) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("start cell %d out of range (0-%d)"),
+                       _("start cell %1$d out of range (0-%2$d)"),
                        startCell, lastCell);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -910,7 +910,7 @@ virHostMemAllocPages(unsigned int npages,
 
     if (startCell > lastCell) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("start cell %d out of range (0-%d)"),
+                       _("start cell %1$d out of range (0-%2$d)"),
                        startCell, lastCell);
         return -1;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virhostuptime.c b/src/util/virhostuptime.c
index 3d41fa081d..2467ea51b0 100644
--- a/src/util/virhostuptime.c
+++ b/src/util/virhostuptime.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ virHostGetBootTimeProcfs(unsigned long long *btime)
      * We're interested only in the first one */
     if (!(tmp = strchr(buf, ' '))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("uptime file has unexpected format '%s'"),
+                       _("uptime file has unexpected format '%1$s'"),
                        buf);
         return -EINVAL;
     }
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ virHostGetBootTimeProcfs(unsigned long long *btime)
 
     if (virStrToDouble(buf, NULL, &up) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to parse uptime value '%s'"),
+                       _("Unable to parse uptime value '%1$s'"),
                        buf);
         return -EINVAL;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/viridentity.c b/src/util/viridentity.c
index 4e9a783cee..b7b88056ac 100644
--- a/src/util/viridentity.c
+++ b/src/util/viridentity.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ virIdentityConstructSystemTokenPath(void)
 
     if (g_mkdir_with_parents(commondir, 0700) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot create daemon common directory '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot create daemon common directory '%1$s'"),
                              commondir);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -243,28 +243,28 @@ virIdentityEnsureSystemToken(void)
     fd = open(tokenfile, O_RDWR|O_APPEND|O_CREAT, 0600);
     if (fd < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to open system token %s"),
+                             _("Unable to open system token %1$s"),
                              tokenfile);
         return NULL;
     }
 
     if (virSetCloseExec(fd) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to set close-on-exec flag '%s'"),
+                             _("Failed to set close-on-exec flag '%1$s'"),
                              tokenfile);
         return NULL;
     }
 
     if (virFileLock(fd, false, 0, 1, true) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to lock system token '%s'"),
+                             _("Failed to lock system token '%1$s'"),
                              tokenfile);
         return NULL;
     }
 
     if (fstat(fd, &st) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to check system token '%s'"),
+                             _("Failed to check system token '%1$s'"),
                              tokenfile);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -276,20 +276,20 @@ virIdentityEnsureSystemToken(void)
         }
         if (safewrite(fd, token, TOKEN_STRLEN) != TOKEN_STRLEN) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Failed to write system token '%s'"),
+                                 _("Failed to write system token '%1$s'"),
                                  tokenfile);
             return NULL;
         }
     } else {
         if (virFileReadLimFD(fd, TOKEN_STRLEN, &token) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Failed to read system token '%s'"),
+                                 _("Failed to read system token '%1$s'"),
                                  tokenfile);
             return NULL;
         }
         if (strlen(token) != TOKEN_STRLEN) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("System token in %s was corrupt"),
+                                 _("System token in %1$s was corrupt"),
                                  tokenfile);
             return NULL;
         }
diff --git a/src/util/virinitctl.c b/src/util/virinitctl.c
index 1b9f2ad022..430f23a235 100644
--- a/src/util/virinitctl.c
+++ b/src/util/virinitctl.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ virInitctlSetRunLevel(const char *fifo,
     if (fifo) {
         if ((fd = open(fifo, open_flags)) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Cannot open init control %s"),
+                                 _("Cannot open init control %1$s"),
                                  fifo);
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ virInitctlSetRunLevel(const char *fifo,
 
             if (errno != ENOENT) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Cannot open init control %s"),
+                                     _("Cannot open init control %1$s"),
                                      fifo);
                 goto cleanup;
             }
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ virInitctlSetRunLevel(const char *fifo,
 
     if (safewrite(fd, &req, sizeof(req)) != sizeof(req)) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to send request to init control %s"),
+                             _("Failed to send request to init control %1$s"),
                              fifo);
         goto cleanup;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/viriptables.c b/src/util/viriptables.c
index 6275760de4..018021bc1b 100644
--- a/src/util/viriptables.c
+++ b/src/util/viriptables.c
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@ iptablesForwardMasquerade(virFirewall *fw,
             portRangeStr = g_strdup_printf(":%u-%u", port->start, port->end);
         } else {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Invalid port range '%u-%u'."),
+                           _("Invalid port range '%1$u-%2$u'."),
                            port->start, port->end);
             return -1;
         }
diff --git a/src/util/viriscsi.c b/src/util/viriscsi.c
index fbf84c9305..4790bd4b55 100644
--- a/src/util/viriscsi.c
+++ b/src/util/viriscsi.c
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ virISCSIGetSession(const char *devpath,
 
     if (cbdata.session == NULL && !probe)
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("cannot find iscsiadm session: %s"),
+                       _("cannot find iscsiadm session: %1$s"),
                        NULLSTR(error));
 
     return cbdata.session;
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ virStorageBackendIQNFound(const char *initiatoriqn,
 
  error:
     virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                   _("malformed output of %s: %s"),
+                   _("malformed output of %1$s: %2$s"),
                    ISCSIADM, line);
     goto cleanup;
 }
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ virStorageBackendCreateIfaceIQN(const char *initiatoriqn,
      * properly. */
     if (virCommandRun(newcmd, &exitstatus) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Failed to run command '%s' to create new iscsi interface"),
+                       _("Failed to run command '%1$s' to create new iscsi interface"),
                        ISCSIADM);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ virStorageBackendCreateIfaceIQN(const char *initiatoriqn,
      * rely on whether iface file got updated properly. */
     if (virCommandRun(updatecmd, &exitstatus) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Failed to run command '%s' to update iscsi interface with IQN '%s'"),
+                       _("Failed to run command '%1$s' to update iscsi interface with IQN '%2$s'"),
                        ISCSIADM, initiatoriqn);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ virISCSIScanTargets(const char *portal,
 
         case IQN_MISSING:
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-                           _("no iSCSI interface defined for IQN %s"),
+                           _("no iSCSI interface defined for IQN %1$s"),
                            initiatoriqn);
             G_GNUC_FALLTHROUGH;
         case IQN_ERROR:
@@ -523,14 +523,14 @@ virISCSINodeNew(const char *portal,
 
     if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Failed new node mode for target '%s'"),
+                       _("Failed new node mode for target '%1$s'"),
                        target);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (status != 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("%s failed new mode for target '%s' with status '%d'"),
+                       _("%1$s failed new mode for target '%2$s' with status '%3$d'"),
                        ISCSIADM, target, status);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ virISCSINodeUpdate(const char *portal,
     /* Ignore non-zero status.  */
     if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Failed to update '%s' of node mode for target '%s'"),
+                       _("Failed to update '%1$s' of node mode for target '%2$s'"),
                        name, target);
         return -1;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virjson.c b/src/util/virjson.c
index 4e822063bc..7e20443f93 100644
--- a/src/util/virjson.c
+++ b/src/util/virjson.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectAddVArgs(virJSONValue **objptr,
 
         if (strlen(key) < 3 || key[1] != ':') {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("argument key '%s' is too short or malformed"),
+                           _("argument key '%1$s' is too short or malformed"),
                            key);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectAddVArgs(virJSONValue **objptr,
                     continue;
 
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("argument key '%s' must not have null value"),
+                               _("argument key '%1$s' must not have null value"),
                                key);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectAddVArgs(virJSONValue **objptr,
 
             if (val < 0 && (type == 'j' || type == 'y')) {
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("argument key '%s' must not be negative"),
+                               _("argument key '%1$s' must not be negative"),
                                key);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectAddVArgs(virJSONValue **objptr,
 
             if (val < 0 && (type == 'J' || type == 'Y')) {
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("argument key '%s' must not be negative"),
+                               _("argument key '%1$s' must not be negative"),
                                key);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectAddVArgs(virJSONValue **objptr,
                     continue;
 
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("argument key '%s' must not have null value"),
+                               _("argument key '%1$s' must not have null value"),
                                key);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectAddVArgs(virJSONValue **objptr,
                     continue;
 
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("argument key '%s' must not have null value"),
+                               _("argument key '%1$s' must not have null value"),
                                key);
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectAddVArgs(virJSONValue **objptr,
 
         default:
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("unsupported data type '%c' for arg '%s'"), type, key - 2);
+                           _("unsupported data type '%1$c' for arg '%2$s'"), type, key - 2);
             return -1;
         }
 
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectInsert(virJSONValue *object,
     }
 
     if (virJSONValueObjectHasKey(object, key)) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("duplicate key '%s'"), key);
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("duplicate key '%1$s'"), key);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -1681,7 +1681,7 @@ virJSONValueFromString(const char *jsonstring)
                                                strlen(jsonstring));
 
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("cannot parse json %s: %s"),
+                       _("cannot parse json %1$s: %2$s"),
                        jsonstring, (const char*) errstr);
         yajl_free_error(hand, errstr);
         virJSONValueFree(parser.head);
@@ -1690,7 +1690,7 @@ virJSONValueFromString(const char *jsonstring)
 
     if (parser.nstate != 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("cannot parse json %s: unterminated string/map/array"),
+                       _("cannot parse json %1$s: unterminated string/map/array"),
                        jsonstring);
         virJSONValueFree(parser.head);
     } else {
@@ -1909,7 +1909,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectDeflattenWorker(const char *key,
 
         if (virJSONValueObjectHasKey(retobj, key)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                           _("can't deflatten colliding key '%s'"), key);
+                           _("can't deflatten colliding key '%1$s'"), key);
             return -1;
         }
 
@@ -1924,7 +1924,7 @@ virJSONValueObjectDeflattenWorker(const char *key,
 
     if (!tokens[0] || !tokens[1]) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("invalid nested value key '%s'"), key);
+                       _("invalid nested value key '%1$s'"), key);
         return -1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/util/virlease.c b/src/util/virlease.c
index 357bacd83d..6fd7b88d88 100644
--- a/src/util/virlease.c
+++ b/src/util/virlease.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ virLeaseReadCustomLeaseFile(virJSONValue *leases_array_new,
 
     if (!(leases_array = virJSONValueFromString(lease_entries))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid json in file: %s, rewriting it"),
+                       _("invalid json in file: %1$s, rewriting it"),
                        custom_lease_file);
         return 0;
     }
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ virLeaseNew(virJSONValue **lease_ret,
 
         if (virStrToLong_ll(exptime, NULL, 10, &expirytime) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Unable to convert lease expiry time to long long: %s"),
+                           _("Unable to convert lease expiry time to long long: %1$s"),
                            NULLSTR(exptime));
             return -1;
         }
diff --git a/src/util/virlockspace.c b/src/util/virlockspace.c
index d54162b3d7..19aacf61bc 100644
--- a/src/util/virlockspace.c
+++ b/src/util/virlockspace.c
@@ -131,21 +131,21 @@ virLockSpaceResourceNew(virLockSpace *lockspace,
             struct stat a, b;
             if ((res->fd = open(res->path, O_RDWR|O_CREAT, 0600)) < 0) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Unable to open/create resource %s"),
+                                     _("Unable to open/create resource %1$s"),
                                      res->path);
                 goto error;
             }
 
             if (virSetCloseExec(res->fd) < 0) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Failed to set close-on-exec flag '%s'"),
+                                     _("Failed to set close-on-exec flag '%1$s'"),
                                      res->path);
                 goto error;
             }
 
             if (fstat(res->fd, &b) < 0) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Unable to check status of pid file '%s'"),
+                                     _("Unable to check status of pid file '%1$s'"),
                                      res->path);
                 goto error;
             }
@@ -153,11 +153,11 @@ virLockSpaceResourceNew(virLockSpace *lockspace,
             if (virFileLock(res->fd, shared, 0, 1, false) < 0) {
                 if (errno == EACCES || errno == EAGAIN) {
                     virReportError(VIR_ERR_RESOURCE_BUSY,
-                                   _("Lockspace resource '%s' is locked"),
+                                   _("Lockspace resource '%1$s' is locked"),
                                    resname);
                 } else {
                     virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                         _("Unable to acquire lock on '%s'"),
+                                         _("Unable to acquire lock on '%1$s'"),
                                          res->path);
                 }
                 goto error;
@@ -184,14 +184,14 @@ virLockSpaceResourceNew(virLockSpace *lockspace,
     } else {
         if ((res->fd = open(res->path, O_RDWR)) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Unable to open resource %s"),
+                                 _("Unable to open resource %1$s"),
                                  res->path);
             goto error;
         }
 
         if (virSetCloseExec(res->fd) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Failed to set close-on-exec flag '%s'"),
+                                 _("Failed to set close-on-exec flag '%1$s'"),
                                  res->path);
             goto error;
         }
@@ -199,11 +199,11 @@ virLockSpaceResourceNew(virLockSpace *lockspace,
         if (virFileLock(res->fd, shared, 0, 1, false) < 0) {
             if (errno == EACCES || errno == EAGAIN) {
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_RESOURCE_BUSY,
-                               _("Lockspace resource '%s' is locked"),
+                               _("Lockspace resource '%1$s' is locked"),
                                resname);
             } else {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Unable to acquire lock on '%s'"),
+                                     _("Unable to acquire lock on '%1$s'"),
                                      res->path);
             }
             goto error;
@@ -252,14 +252,14 @@ virLockSpace *virLockSpaceNew(const char *directory)
         if (virFileExists(directory)) {
             if (!virFileIsDir(directory)) {
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("Lockspace location %s exists, but is not a directory"),
+                               _("Lockspace location %1$s exists, but is not a directory"),
                                directory);
                 goto error;
             }
         } else {
             if (g_mkdir_with_parents(directory, 0700) < 0) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                     _("Unable to create lockspace %s"),
+                                     _("Unable to create lockspace %1$s"),
                                      directory);
                 goto error;
             }
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ int virLockSpaceCreateResource(virLockSpace *lockspace,
 
     if (virHashLookup(lockspace->resources, resname) != NULL) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_RESOURCE_BUSY,
-                       _("Lockspace resource '%s' is locked"),
+                       _("Lockspace resource '%1$s' is locked"),
                        resname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ int virLockSpaceDeleteResource(virLockSpace *lockspace,
 
     if (virHashLookup(lockspace->resources, resname) != NULL) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_RESOURCE_BUSY,
-                       _("Lockspace resource '%s' is locked"),
+                       _("Lockspace resource '%1$s' is locked"),
                        resname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ int virLockSpaceDeleteResource(virLockSpace *lockspace,
     if (unlink(respath) < 0 &&
         errno != ENOENT) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to delete lockspace resource %s"),
+                             _("Unable to delete lockspace resource %1$s"),
                              respath);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ int virLockSpaceAcquireResource(virLockSpace *lockspace,
             return 0;
         }
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_RESOURCE_BUSY,
-                       _("Lockspace resource '%s' is locked"),
+                       _("Lockspace resource '%1$s' is locked"),
                        resname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ int virLockSpaceReleaseResource(virLockSpace *lockspace,
 
     if (!(res = virHashLookup(lockspace->resources, resname))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_RESOURCE_BUSY,
-                       _("Lockspace resource '%s' is not locked"),
+                       _("Lockspace resource '%1$s' is not locked"),
                        resname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ int virLockSpaceReleaseResource(virLockSpace *lockspace,
 
     if (i == res->nOwners) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("owner %lld does not hold the resource lock"),
+                       _("owner %1$lld does not hold the resource lock"),
                        (unsigned long long)owner);
         return -1;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/virlog.c b/src/util/virlog.c
index 443e948917..6bbd69fe43 100644
--- a/src/util/virlog.c
+++ b/src/util/virlog.c
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@ virLogSetDefaultPriority(virLogPriority priority)
 {
     if ((priority < VIR_LOG_DEBUG) || (priority > VIR_LOG_ERROR)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Failed to set logging priority, argument '%u' is "
-                         "invalid"), priority);
+                       _("Failed to set logging priority, argument '%1$u' is invalid"),
+                       priority);
         return -1;
     }
     if (virLogInitialize() < 0)
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ virLogNewOutputToFile(virLogPriority priority,
 
     fd = open(file, O_CREAT | O_APPEND | O_WRONLY, S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR);
     if (fd < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to open %s"), file);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to open %1$s"), file);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -1195,8 +1195,8 @@ virLogParseDefaultPriority(const char *priority)
         return VIR_LOG_ERROR;
 
     virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                   _("Failed to set logging priority, argument '%s' is "
-                     "invalid"), priority);
+                   _("Failed to set logging priority, argument '%1$s' is invalid"),
+                   priority);
     return -1;
 }
 
@@ -1326,7 +1326,7 @@ virLogFilterNew(const char *match,
     size_t mlen = strlen(match);
 
     if (priority < VIR_LOG_DEBUG || priority > VIR_LOG_ERROR) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG, _("Invalid log priority %d"),
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG, _("Invalid log priority %1$d"),
                        priority);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -1493,21 +1493,21 @@ virLogParseOutput(const char *src)
     if (!(tokens = g_strsplit(src, ":", 0)) ||
         (count = g_strv_length(tokens)) < 2) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Malformed format for log output '%s'"), src);
+                       _("Malformed format for log output '%1$s'"), src);
         return NULL;
     }
 
     if (virStrToLong_uip(tokens[0], NULL, 10, &prio) < 0 ||
         (prio < VIR_LOG_DEBUG) || (prio > VIR_LOG_ERROR)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Invalid log priority '%s' for log output '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid log priority '%1$s' for log output '%2$s'"),
                        tokens[0], src);
         return NULL;
     }
 
     if ((dest = virLogDestinationTypeFromString(tokens[1])) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Invalid log destination '%s' for log output '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid log destination '%1$s' for log output '%2$s'"),
                        tokens[1], src);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -1517,8 +1517,8 @@ virLogParseOutput(const char *src)
         ((dest == VIR_LOG_TO_FILE ||
           dest == VIR_LOG_TO_SYSLOG) && count != 3)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Log output '%s' does not meet the format requirements "
-                         "for destination type '%s'"), src, tokens[1]);
+                       _("Log output '%1$s' does not meet the format requirements for destination type '%2$s'"),
+                       src, tokens[1]);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -1587,14 +1587,14 @@ virLogParseFilter(const char *src)
     if (!(tokens = g_strsplit(src, ":", 0)) ||
         !tokens[0] || !tokens[1]) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Malformed format for filter '%s'"), src);
+                       _("Malformed format for filter '%1$s'"), src);
         return NULL;
     }
 
     if (virStrToLong_uip(tokens[0], NULL, 10, &prio) < 0 ||
         (prio < VIR_LOG_DEBUG) || (prio > VIR_LOG_ERROR)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Invalid priority '%s' for filter '%s'"),
+                       _("Invalid priority '%1$s' for filter '%2$s'"),
                        tokens[0], src);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@ virLogParseFilter(const char *src)
     /* match string cannot comprise just from a single '+' */
     if (!*match) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("Invalid match string '%s'"), tokens[1]);
+                       _("Invalid match string '%1$s'"), tokens[1]);
         return NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/util/virmacmap.c b/src/util/virmacmap.c
index 98be64fb31..41baf736ab 100644
--- a/src/util/virmacmap.c
+++ b/src/util/virmacmap.c
@@ -149,14 +149,14 @@ virMacMapLoadFile(virMacMap *mgr,
 
     if (!(map = virJSONValueFromString(map_str))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid json in file: %s"),
+                       _("invalid json in file: %1$s"),
                        file);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (!virJSONValueIsArray(map)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Malformed file structure: %s"),
+                       _("Malformed file structure: %1$s"),
                        file);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ virMacMapLoadFile(virMacMap *mgr,
 
         if (g_hash_table_contains(mgr->macs, domain)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("duplicate domain '%s'"), domain);
+                           _("duplicate domain '%1$s'"), domain);
             return -1;
 
         }
diff --git a/src/util/virmdev.c b/src/util/virmdev.c
index 41d4cef8b9..d0f35ca347 100644
--- a/src/util/virmdev.c
+++ b/src/util/virmdev.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ virMediatedDeviceGetSysfsDeviceAPI(virMediatedDevice *dev,
      * kinds of devices
      */
     if (!virFileExists(file)) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to read '%s'"), file);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to read '%1$s'"), file);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -116,15 +116,14 @@ virMediatedDeviceCheckModel(virMediatedDevice *dev,
      */
     if ((actual_model = virMediatedDeviceModelTypeFromString(dev_api)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("device API '%s' not supported yet"),
+                       _("device API '%1$s' not supported yet"),
                        dev_api);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (actual_model != model) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid device API '%s' for device %s: "
-                         "device only supports '%s'"),
+                       _("invalid device API '%1$s' for device %2$s: device only supports '%3$s'"),
                        virMediatedDeviceModelTypeToString(model),
                        dev->path, dev_api);
         return -1;
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ virMediatedDeviceNew(const char *uuidstr, virMediatedDeviceModelType model)
     sysfspath = virMediatedDeviceGetSysfsPath(uuidstr);
     if (!virFileExists(sysfspath)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_DEVICE_MISSING,
-                       _("mediated device '%s' not found"), uuidstr);
+                       _("mediated device '%1$s' not found"), uuidstr);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -222,12 +221,12 @@ virMediatedDeviceGetIOMMUGroupNum(const char *uuidstr)
     iommu_path = g_strdup_printf("%s/iommu_group", dev_path);
 
     if (!virFileExists(iommu_path)) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to access '%s'"), iommu_path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to access '%1$s'"), iommu_path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (virFileResolveLink(iommu_path, &result_path) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to resolve '%s'"), iommu_path);
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("failed to resolve '%1$s'"), iommu_path);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -299,7 +298,7 @@ virMediatedDeviceListAdd(virMediatedDeviceList *list,
 {
     if (virMediatedDeviceListFind(list, (*dev)->path)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("device %s is already in use"), (*dev)->path);
+                       _("device %1$s is already in use"), (*dev)->path);
         return -1;
     }
     VIR_APPEND_ELEMENT(list->devs, list->count, *dev);
@@ -402,8 +401,7 @@ virMediatedDeviceIsUsed(virMediatedDevice *dev,
     if ((tmp = virMediatedDeviceListFind(list, dev->path))) {
         virMediatedDeviceGetUsedBy(tmp, &drvname, &domname);
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
-                       _("mediated device %s is in use by "
-                         "driver %s, domain %s"),
+                       _("mediated device %1$s is in use by driver %2$s, domain %3$s"),
                        tmp->path, drvname, domname);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/util/virmodule.c b/src/util/virmodule.c
index 36cf77ac46..2b78068814 100644
--- a/src/util/virmodule.c
+++ b/src/util/virmodule.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ virModuleLoadFile(const char *file)
 
     if (!(handle = dlopen(file, flags))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Failed to load module '%s': %s"), file, dlerror());
+                       _("Failed to load module '%1$s': %2$s"), file, dlerror());
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ virModuleLoadFunc(void *handle,
 
     if (!(regsym = dlsym(handle, funcname))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Failed to find symbol '%s' in module '%s': %s"),
+                       _("Failed to find symbol '%1$s' in module '%2$s': %3$s"),
                        funcname, file, dlerror());
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ virModuleLoad(const char *path,
     if (!virFileExists(path)) {
         if (required) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Failed to find module '%s'"), path);
+                                 _("Failed to find module '%1$s'"), path);
             return -1;
         } else {
             VIR_INFO("Module '%s' does not exist", path);
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ virModuleLoad(const char *path,
          * just make sure */
         if (virGetLastErrorCode() == VIR_ERR_OK) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Failed to execute symbol '%s' in module '%s'"),
+                           _("Failed to execute symbol '%1$s' in module '%2$s'"),
                            regfunc, path);
         }
         goto cleanup;
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ virModuleLoad(const char *path,
     VIR_DEBUG("dlopen not available on this platform");
     if (required) {
         virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                             _("Failed to find module '%s'"), path);
+                             _("Failed to find module '%1$s'"), path);
         return -1;
     } else {
         /* Since we have no dlopen(), but definition we have no
diff --git a/src/util/virnetdev.c b/src/util/virnetdev.c
index 62d8162e03..38a4f480eb 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdev.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdev.c
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ static int virNetDevSetupControlFull(const char *ifname,
 
         if (virStrcpyStatic(ifr->ifr_name, ifname) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(ERANGE,
-                                 _("Network interface name '%s' is too long"),
+                                 _("Network interface name '%1$s' is too long"),
                                  ifname);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ int virNetDevExists(const char *ifname)
         if (errno == ENODEV || errno == ENXIO)
             return 0;
 
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to check interface flags for %s"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to check interface flags for %1$s"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ int virNetDevExists(const char *ifname)
 int virNetDevExists(const char *ifname)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Unable to check interface %s"), ifname);
+                         _("Unable to check interface %1$s"), ifname);
     return -1;
 }
 #endif
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ virNetDevSetMACInternal(const char *ifname,
 
     /* To fill ifr.ifr_hdaddr.sa_family field */
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFHWADDR, &ifr) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Cannot get interface MAC on '%s'"),
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Cannot get interface MAC on '%1$s'"),
                              ifname);
 
         VIR_DEBUG("SIOCSIFHWADDR %s get MAC - Fail", ifname);
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ virNetDevSetMACInternal(const char *ifname,
         }
 
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot set interface MAC to %s on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot set interface MAC to %1$s on '%2$s'"),
                              virMacAddrFormat(macaddr, macstr), ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ virNetDevSetMACInternal(const char *ifname,
         }
 
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot set interface MAC to %s on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot set interface MAC to %1$s on '%2$s'"),
                              mac + 1, ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ virNetDevSetMACInternal(const char *ifname,
                         bool quiet G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot set interface MAC on '%s'"),
+                         _("Cannot set interface MAC on '%1$s'"),
                          ifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ int virNetDevGetMAC(const char *ifname,
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFHWADDR, &ifr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot get interface MAC on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot get interface MAC on '%1$s'"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ int virNetDevGetMAC(const char *ifname,
                     virMacAddr *macaddr G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot get interface MAC on '%s'"),
+                         _("Cannot get interface MAC on '%1$s'"),
                          ifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ int virNetDevGetMTU(const char *ifname)
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFMTU, &ifr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot get interface MTU on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot get interface MTU on '%1$s'"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ int virNetDevGetMTU(const char *ifname)
 int virNetDevGetMTU(const char *ifname)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot get interface MTU on '%s'"),
+                         _("Cannot get interface MTU on '%1$s'"),
                          ifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ int virNetDevSetMTU(const char *ifname, int mtu)
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCSIFMTU, &ifr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot set interface MTU on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot set interface MTU on '%1$s'"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ int virNetDevSetMTU(const char *ifname, int mtu)
 int virNetDevSetMTU(const char *ifname, int mtu G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot set interface MTU on '%s'"),
+                         _("Cannot set interface MTU on '%1$s'"),
                          ifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ int virNetDevSetName(const char* ifname, const char *newifname)
 # ifdef WITH_STRUCT_IFREQ_IFR_NEWNAME
     if (virStrcpyStatic(ifr.ifr_newname, newifname) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(ERANGE,
-                             _("Network interface name '%s' is too long"),
+                             _("Network interface name '%1$s' is too long"),
                              newifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ int virNetDevSetName(const char* ifname, const char *newifname)
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCSIFNAME, &ifr)) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to rename '%s' to '%s'"),
+                             _("Unable to rename '%1$s' to '%2$s'"),
                              ifname, newifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ int virNetDevSetName(const char* ifname, const char *newifname)
 int virNetDevSetName(const char* ifname, const char *newifname)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot rename interface '%s' to '%s' on this platform"),
+                         _("Cannot rename interface '%1$s' to '%2$s' on this platform"),
                          ifname, newifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ virNetDevSetIFFlag(const char *ifname, int flag, bool val)
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFFLAGS, &ifr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot get interface flags on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot get interface flags on '%1$s'"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ virNetDevSetIFFlag(const char *ifname, int flag, bool val)
         ifr.ifr_flags = ifflags;
         if (ioctl(fd, SIOCSIFFLAGS, &ifr) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("Cannot set interface flags on '%s'"),
+                                 _("Cannot set interface flags on '%1$s'"),
                                  ifname);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ virNetDevSetIFFlag(const char *ifname,
                    bool val G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot set interface flags on '%s'"),
+                         _("Cannot set interface flags on '%1$s'"),
                          ifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ virNetDevGetIFFlag(const char *ifname, int flag, bool *val)
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFFLAGS, &ifr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot get interface flags on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot get interface flags on '%1$s'"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ virNetDevGetIFFlag(const char *ifname,
                    bool *val G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot get interface flags on '%s'"),
+                         _("Cannot get interface flags on '%1$s'"),
                          ifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ char *virNetDevGetName(int ifindex)
 
     if (!if_indextoname(ifindex, name)) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Failed to convert interface index %d to a name"),
+                             _("Failed to convert interface index %1$d to a name"),
                              ifindex);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ char *virNetDevGetName(int ifindex)
 char *virNetDevGetName(int ifindex)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot get interface name for index '%i'"),
+                         _("Cannot get interface name for index '%1$i'"),
                          ifindex);
     return NULL;
 }
@@ -860,14 +860,14 @@ int virNetDevGetIndex(const char *ifname, int *ifindex)
 
     if (virStrcpyStatic(ifreq.ifr_name, ifname) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(ERANGE,
-                             _("invalid interface name %s"),
+                             _("invalid interface name %1$s"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFINDEX, &ifreq) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to get index for interface %s"), ifname);
+                             _("Unable to get index for interface %1$s"), ifname);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -973,14 +973,14 @@ int virNetDevGetVLanID(const char *ifname, int *vlanid)
 
     if (virStrcpyStatic(vlanargs.device1, ifname) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(ERANGE,
-                             _("invalid interface name %s"),
+                             _("invalid interface name %1$s"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFVLAN, &vlanargs) != 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Unable to get VLAN for interface %s"), ifname);
+                             _("Unable to get VLAN for interface %1$s"), ifname);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ int virNetDevValidateConfig(const char *ifname,
                 return 0;
 
             virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("could not get MAC address of interface %s"),
+                                 _("could not get MAC address of interface %1$s"),
                                  ifname);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -1110,7 +1110,7 @@ virNetDevIsPCIDevice(const char *devpath)
 
     if (virFileResolveLink(subsys_link, &abs_path) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to resolve device subsystem symlink %s"),
+                       _("Unable to resolve device subsystem symlink %1$s"),
                        subsys_link);
         return false;
     }
@@ -1371,7 +1371,7 @@ virNetDevGetVirtualFunctionInfo(const char *vfname, char **pfname,
          * VFINFO does.
          */
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("The PF device for VF %s has no network device name, cannot get virtual function info"),
+                       _("The PF device for VF %1$s has no network device name, cannot get virtual function info"),
                        vfname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -1596,7 +1596,7 @@ virNetDevSetVfVlan(const char *ifname,
     if (vlanid) {
         /* VLAN ids 0 and 4095 are reserved per 802.1Q but are valid values. */
         if ((*vlanid < 0 || *vlanid > 4095)) {
-            virReportError(ERANGE, _("vlanid out of range: %d"), *vlanid);
+            virReportError(ERANGE, _("vlanid out of range: %1$d"), *vlanid);
             return -ERANGE;
         }
         ifla_vf_vlan.vlan = *vlanid;
@@ -1615,7 +1615,7 @@ virNetDevSetVfVlan(const char *ifname,
         ret = 0;
     } else if (ret < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(-ret,
-                             _("Cannot set interface vlanid to %d for ifname %s vf %d"),
+                             _("Cannot set interface vlanid to %1$d for ifname %2$s vf %3$d"),
                              ifla_vf_vlan.vlan, ifname ? ifname : "(unspecified)", vf);
     }
 
@@ -1638,7 +1638,7 @@ virNetDevSetVfMac(const char *ifname, int vf,
 
     if (macaddr == NULL || allowRetry == NULL) {
         virReportError(EINVAL,
-                       _("Invalid parameters macaddr=%p allowRetry=%p"),
+                       _("Invalid parameters macaddr=%1$p allowRetry=%2$p"),
                        macaddr, allowRetry);
         return -EINVAL;
     }
@@ -1654,7 +1654,7 @@ virNetDevSetVfMac(const char *ifname, int vf,
     } else if (ret < 0) {
         /* other errors are permanent */
         virReportSystemError(-ret,
-                             _("Cannot set interface MAC to %s for ifname %s vf %d"),
+                             _("Cannot set interface MAC to %1$s for ifname %2$s vf %3$d"),
                              macaddr ? virMacAddrFormat(macaddr, macstr) : "(unchanged)",
                              ifname ? ifname : "(unspecified)",
                              vf);
@@ -1761,8 +1761,8 @@ virNetDevParseVfInfo(struct nlattr **tb, int32_t vf, virMacAddr *mac,
     }
     if (rc < 0)
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("couldn't find IFLA_VF_INFO for VF %d "
-                         "in netlink response"), vf);
+                       _("couldn't find IFLA_VF_INFO for VF %1$d in netlink response"),
+                       vf);
     return rc;
 }
 
@@ -1803,7 +1803,7 @@ virNetDevVFInterfaceStats(virPCIDeviceAddress *vfAddr,
         return -1;
 
     if (!virPCIIsVirtualFunction(vfSysfsPath)) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("'%s' is not a VF device"), vfSysfsPath);
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, _("'%1$s' is not a VF device"), vfSysfsPath);
        return -1;
     }
 
@@ -1921,10 +1921,7 @@ virNetDevSaveNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
 
         if (!pfIsOnline) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Unable to configure VF %d of PF '%s' "
-                             "because the PF is not online. Please "
-                             "change host network config to put the "
-                             "PF online."),
+                           _("Unable to configure VF %1$d of PF '%2$s' because the PF is not online. Please change host network config to put the PF online."),
                            vf, pfDevName);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -1973,8 +1970,9 @@ virNetDevSaveNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
         return -1;
 
     if (virFileWriteStr(filePath, fileStr, 0600) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Unable to preserve mac/vlan tag "
-                                      "for device = %s, vf = %d"), linkdev, vf);
+        virReportSystemError(errno,
+                             _("Unable to preserve mac/vlan tag for device = %1$s, vf = %2$d"),
+                             linkdev, vf);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -2097,7 +2095,7 @@ virNetDevReadNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
             if ((virStrToLong_i(vlanStr, &endptr, 10, &vlanTag) < 0) ||
                 (endptr && *endptr != '\n' && *endptr != 0)) {
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("cannot parse vlan tag '%s' from file '%s'"),
+                               _("cannot parse vlan tag '%1$s' from file '%2$s'"),
                                vlanStr, filePath);
                 goto cleanup;
             }
@@ -2112,8 +2110,7 @@ virNetDevReadNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
          */
         if (!(configJSON = virJSONValueFromString(fileStr))) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("invalid json in net device saved "
-                             "config file '%s': '%.60s'"),
+                           _("invalid json in net device saved config file '%1$s': '%2$.60s'"),
                            filePath, fileStr);
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -2128,9 +2125,7 @@ virNetDevReadNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
 
         if (!(MACStr || adminMACStr)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("network device saved config file '%s' "
-                             "has unexpected contents, missing both "
-                             "'MAC' and 'adminMAC': '%.60s'"),
+                           _("network device saved config file '%1$s' has unexpected contents, missing both 'MAC' and 'adminMAC': '%2$.60s'"),
                            filePath, fileStr);
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -2141,7 +2136,7 @@ virNetDevReadNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
 
         if (virMacAddrParse(MACStr, *MAC) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("cannot parse MAC address '%s' from file '%s'"),
+                           _("cannot parse MAC address '%1$s' from file '%2$s'"),
                            MACStr, filePath);
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -2152,7 +2147,7 @@ virNetDevReadNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
 
         if (virMacAddrParse(adminMACStr, *adminMAC) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("cannot parse MAC address '%s' from file '%s'"),
+                           _("cannot parse MAC address '%1$s' from file '%2$s'"),
                            adminMACStr, filePath);
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -2241,15 +2236,15 @@ virNetDevSetNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
          */
         if (adminMAC) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
-                           _("admin MAC can only be set for SR-IOV VFs, but "
-                             "%s is not a VF"), linkdev);
+                           _("admin MAC can only be set for SR-IOV VFs, but %1$s is not a VF"),
+                           linkdev);
             return -1;
         }
 
         if (vlan) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
-                           _("vlan can only be set for SR-IOV VFs, but "
-                             "%s is not a VF"), linkdev);
+                           _("vlan can only be set for SR-IOV VFs, but %1$s is not a VF"),
+                           linkdev);
             return -1;
         }
 
@@ -2264,8 +2259,7 @@ virNetDevSetNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
 
             if (!setVlan) {
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                               _("vlan tag set for interface %s but "
-                                 "caller requested it not be set"));
+                               _("vlan tag set for interface %1$s but caller requested it not be set"));
                 return -1;
             }
 
@@ -2288,8 +2282,7 @@ virNetDevSetNetConfig(const char *linkdev, int vf,
 
         if (!linkdev) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("VF %d of PF '%s' is not bound to a net driver, "
-                             "so its MAC address cannot be set to %s"),
+                           _("VF %1$d of PF '%2$s' is not bound to a net driver, so its MAC address cannot be set to %3$s"),
                            vf, pfDevName, virMacAddrFormat(MAC, MACStr));
             return -1;
         }
@@ -2545,14 +2538,14 @@ virNetDevGetLinkInfo(const char *ifname,
 
     if (virFileReadAll(path, 1024, &buf) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("unable to read: %s"),
+                             _("unable to read: %1$s"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
 
     if (!(tmp = strchr(buf, '\n'))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to parse: %s"),
+                       _("Unable to parse: %1$s"),
                        buf);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2563,7 +2556,7 @@ virNetDevGetLinkInfo(const char *ifname,
      * virInterfaceState enum starts from 1. */
     if ((tmp_state = virNetDevIfStateTypeFromString(buf)) <= 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to parse: %s"),
+                       _("Unable to parse: %1$s"),
                        buf);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2590,7 +2583,7 @@ virNetDevGetLinkInfo(const char *ifname,
         if (errno == EINVAL)
             return 0;
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("unable to read: %s"),
+                             _("unable to read: %1$s"),
                              path);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2598,7 +2591,7 @@ virNetDevGetLinkInfo(const char *ifname,
     if (virStrToLong_ui(buf, &tmp, 10, &tmp_speed) < 0 ||
         *tmp != '\n') {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("Unable to parse: %s"),
+                       _("Unable to parse: %1$s"),
                        buf);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2650,7 +2643,7 @@ int virNetDevAddMulti(const char *ifname,
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCADDMULTI, &ifr) < 0) {
         char macstr[VIR_MAC_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot add multicast MAC %s on '%s' interface"),
+                             _("Cannot add multicast MAC %1$s on '%2$s' interface"),
                              virMacAddrFormat(macaddr, macstr), ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2695,7 +2688,7 @@ int virNetDevDelMulti(const char *ifname,
     if (ioctl(fd, SIOCDELMULTI, &ifr) < 0) {
         char macstr[VIR_MAC_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot add multicast MAC %s on '%s' interface"),
+                             _("Cannot add multicast MAC %1$s on '%2$s' interface"),
                              virMacAddrFormat(macaddr, macstr), ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2728,7 +2721,7 @@ static int virNetDevParseMcast(char *buf, virNetDevMcastEntry *mcast)
 
         if (token == NULL) {
             virReportSystemError(EINVAL,
-                                 _("failed to parse multicast address from '%s'"),
+                                 _("failed to parse multicast address from '%1$s'"),
                                  buf);
             return -1;
         }
@@ -2737,7 +2730,7 @@ static int virNetDevParseMcast(char *buf, virNetDevMcastEntry *mcast)
             case VIR_MCAST_TYPE_INDEX_TOKEN:
                 if (virStrToLong_i(token, &endptr, 10, &num) < 0) {
                     virReportSystemError(EINVAL,
-                                         _("Failed to parse interface index from '%s'"),
+                                         _("Failed to parse interface index from '%1$s'"),
                                          buf);
                     return -1;
 
@@ -2747,7 +2740,7 @@ static int virNetDevParseMcast(char *buf, virNetDevMcastEntry *mcast)
             case VIR_MCAST_TYPE_NAME_TOKEN:
                 if (virStrcpy(mcast->name, token, VIR_MCAST_NAME_LEN) < 0) {
                     virReportSystemError(EINVAL,
-                                         _("Failed to parse network device name from '%s'"),
+                                         _("Failed to parse network device name from '%1$s'"),
                                          buf);
                     return -1;
                 }
@@ -2755,7 +2748,7 @@ static int virNetDevParseMcast(char *buf, virNetDevMcastEntry *mcast)
             case VIR_MCAST_TYPE_USERS_TOKEN:
                 if (virStrToLong_i(token, &endptr, 10, &num) < 0) {
                     virReportSystemError(EINVAL,
-                                         _("Failed to parse users from '%s'"),
+                                         _("Failed to parse users from '%1$s'"),
                                          buf);
                     return -1;
 
@@ -2765,7 +2758,7 @@ static int virNetDevParseMcast(char *buf, virNetDevMcastEntry *mcast)
             case VIR_MCAST_TYPE_GLOBAL_TOKEN:
                 if (virStrToLong_i(token, &endptr, 10, &num) < 0) {
                     virReportSystemError(EINVAL,
-                                         _("Failed to parse users from '%s'"),
+                                         _("Failed to parse users from '%1$s'"),
                                          buf);
                     return -1;
 
@@ -2776,7 +2769,7 @@ static int virNetDevParseMcast(char *buf, virNetDevMcastEntry *mcast)
                 if (virMacAddrParseHex((const char*)token,
                                        &mcast->macaddr) < 0) {
                     virReportSystemError(EINVAL,
-                                         _("Failed to parse MAC address from '%s'"),
+                                         _("Failed to parse MAC address from '%1$s'"),
                                          buf);
                 }
                 break;
@@ -3031,7 +3024,7 @@ virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(const char *ifname, int fd, struct ifreq *ifr)
             VIR_DEBUG("ethtool ioctl: request not supported on %s", ifname);
             break;
         default:
-            virReportSystemError(errno, _("ethtool ioctl error on %s"), ifname);
+            virReportSystemError(errno, _("ethtool ioctl error on %1$s"), ifname);
             break;
         }
     }
@@ -3361,7 +3354,7 @@ int virNetDevSetCoalesce(const char *ifname,
 
     if (virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(ifname, fd, &ifr) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno,
-                             _("Cannot set coalesce info on '%s'"),
+                             _("Cannot set coalesce info on '%1$s'"),
                              ifname);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -3454,7 +3447,7 @@ int virNetDevSetCoalesce(const char *ifname,
         return 0;
 
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS,
-                         _("Cannot set coalesce info on interface '%s'"),
+                         _("Cannot set coalesce info on interface '%1$s'"),
                          ifname);
     return -1;
 }
@@ -3595,7 +3588,7 @@ virNetDevGenerateName(char **ifname, virNetDevGenNameType type)
     } while (++attempts < 10000);
 
     virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                   _("no unused %s names available"),
+                   _("no unused %1$s names available"),
                    prefix);
     return -1;
 }